Juba accuses Khartoum of moving troops beyond centreline
August 12, 2013 (JUBA) – A senior South Sudan army general on Monday accused the government of neighbouring Sudan of moving troops into the contested centreline along the border that divides the two countries.
“The general security situation along the border areas has been relatively quiet but in the first week of August our troops started witnessing unusual movement of the troops from the Sudanese side of the border into areas beyond centreline”, said Riak.
Teskuin and Mile-14 are claimed by the two countries. Also they disagree on the delimitation of the centreline proposed by the mediation, a matter that complicates the operationalisation of the buffer zone.
On 5 August, tension flared along the non-demarcated 2000-km borderline that divides South Sudan and Sudan after skirmishes during patrol by soldiers on both sides.
Khartoum blamed the clash on Juba, but South Sudan denied that its soldiers triggered the skirmish. Instead the SPLA claimed the Sudanese soldiers crossed into Panthou or Heglig.
Riak told Sudan Tribune that SPLA positions came under heavy gunfire attack from Sudan soldiers at Teskuin on 5 August prompting a response from the southern army in what he called “self defence”.
“The SPLA (Sudan People’s Liberation Army) responded in self defence to firing from the Sudan Armed Forces which crossed into areas beyond centreline”, he said, further accusing the Sudanese army of entering inside its territories.
Riak said there were no deaths or injuries on civilians during the shoot-out, but stressed that its northern neighbour was not interested at all in peace.
“Sudan does not want peace to prevail in this region”, he said.
This became clear from military incursion inside the South Sudanese territory and provocative actions along the border line, he added.
The exchange of fire along the borderline puts into strain a ceasefire between the two Sudans that has largely held since September 2012.
(ST)